Northside STEAM Sidewalk Gap Project

Why is this project being done?

The Ann Arbor STEAM Safe Routes to School (SRTS) committee received a grant from SRTS Michigan to provide technical assistance in the completion of the SRTS process, develop action plans, and ultimately submit a grant application. The technical team from Michigan State University led the Ann Arbor STEAM committee through the SRTS process, which included a walking audit, a biking audit, and three public meetings.

The Northside STEAM SRTS committee prioritized the infrastructure improvements proposed in the action plans. These priorities led to the list of sidewalk improvements included in the grant application. These improvements consist primarily of filling gaps in the sidewalk system and constructing ADA-compliant ramps in the neighborhood around the school in order to create a better walking environment for students making their way to school. ​

The City of Ann Arbor held a public meeting June 26, 2018 for affected property owners.  A summary of feedback and other documents from that meeting can be found below.  One of the main concerns heard at this meeting was the high potential cost of the assessments. Following that meeting, City staff and the Northside STEAM SRTS committee met to re-evaluate the prioritized infrastructure improvements proposed in their action plans, with the goal of reducing the overall project scope. Reducing the project scope by removing some of the sidewalk gap locations in the original plan would lower the overall cost of the project, thereby more effectively using the Grant funds and lowering the anticipated individual assessment costs. These discussions led to the removal of Apple Street and Pear Street from the project limits.  With the overall project cost being reduced, a greater percent of the Grant funding can be spent on the remaining sidewalk construction, thus reducing the estimated individual special assessment from approximately $89/ft to $48/ft as seen below in the Preliminary Estimate and Assess​ment Cost.  This is an initial estimated cost, as final plans have not been completed.​

Cost & Funding Source

Michigan SRTS Grant, Special Assessments, and Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage will fund work on this project.